Earlier today we learned that Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford will decline his 2012/13 option worth $5.23MM. Here's more on Portland from Jason Quick of The Oregonian..
- We learned yesterday that the club is likely to match offers for Nicolas Batum. The Blazers could just sign Batum to a long-term deal but acting GM Chad Buchanan plans to keep the forward in restricted status in order to have more flexibility. Batum's qualifying offer will place a $5.4MM hold onto the Blazers' salary cap, which should be $3-5MM less than what it would take to sign him under a long-term deal.
- The club is not yet sure if they'll make a qualifying offer to J.J. Hickson. The forward, picked up off of waivers from the Kings this season, has said that he would like to remain in Portland. The 23-year-old averaged 15.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 19 games for the Blazers this season.
- Buchanan said that the club's top two priorities this summer are finding a starting point guard and finding a starting center.